Not in my time, David. Early Communion services on Sundays, All Saints Day, Ash Wednesday and Ascension Day were optional, other services were whole school. The only exception may have been Lent Addresses which were on a Wednesday evening, it is possible the Junior Houses didn't attend, but I was never in one.

There were a very few Roman Catholics who could go to Mass in Hertford, I'm not sure of details.

We had at least one Jewish girl in the school in my time Ruth Fraenkel, better known now as Baroness Ruth Deech. I can't remember whether she attended chapel, she is several years older than me, and was in another house. Famously she did not receive a leaving Bible when she left school, I believe she was given one years later!

In my last year we had our first Muslim pupil in 6s. I know she was allowed to say her prayers separately, in a room where a Junior would not normally have been allowed, the Head of House's bedroom. At first she encouraged others to come and watch her pray, but we discouraged that!

By the way, David, my Katharine is spelt with an A after the H. My classically educated OB father said that was closer to the Classical Greek!

Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia!

I was at CH 1953-60 and (like David, last post but one) I have absolutely no memory of anything such as divided chapel. This may have been an experiment up to 1952 only. If indeed it continued thereafter, it doesn't seem to have had great impact.

I was at CH 1953-60 and (like David, last post but one) I have absolutely no memory of anything such as divided chapel. This may have been an experiment up to 1952 only. If indeed it continued thereafter, it doesn't seem to have had great impact.

In that case, perhaps senior and junior chapels were only introduced in 1960 (I thought it was earlier, but maybe I'm wrong). In any case, it only affected one of the chapels on Sunday. Usually, Junior Chapel was in the morning (and evening chapel was whole school), or morning chapel was whole school, and senior chapel was in the evening. Often both chapels were whole school. Weekday chapels were not affected. The idea was to have different sorts of sermon tailored to different age-groups. Juniors and seniors could go (voluntarily) to each other's chapel (though obviously not many did).

It is fascinating that no matter how odd the thread the discussion so often ends up on the subject of the Horsham nurses nd the young ladies who did so many of the chores around the place. I am sure that a psychiatrist could explain it!
David

There is indeed one. Nick Duffell, ex boarder and afterwards a psychiatrist who treats "boarding school survivor syndrome", has written two books on the subject - "The Making of Them" and "Wounded Leaders" in which he explores, among other things, the tendency of ex boarders from all-male institutions to view females as either sex slaves or mother figures, or both. An impossible role for the average female to satisfy. Nick's original editor and co-worker in his workshops was one Rob Bland who was at CH in the 1960s. I have been blogging on his site with my own thoughts on boarding schools. The books are published by Lone Arrow Press, an independent publisher in Dorset. "The Making of Them" was turned into a TV documentary on BBC-2's "40 minute" series some years ago.

There is indeed one. Nick Duffell, ex boarder and afterwards a psychiatrist who treats "boarding school survivor syndrome", has written two books on the subject - "The Making of Them" and "Wounded Leaders" in which he explores, among other things, the tendency of ex boarders from all-male institutions to view females as either sex slaves or mother figures, or both.

I won't deny that boarding schools do instill some differences but surely state schools instil others. I had a caller yesterday who, from his demeanour, was definitely ex public school. In his case he was an election candidate ex Millfield who seems to be ashamed of his background. Haughty, over confident, looking down his nose ... he certainly will not get my vote
On the other hand I have had a lot of contact with state schools - the one which sent a dyslexic to assist children with learning dificulties but refused to help him with his own. At another school in an A level class just before their exams the maths teacher took four lessons out to explain why tories cannot be trusted and the only way to go is to follow the red flog, marxist version. This is a very safe area but one highly educated father would not allow his 13 year old son to walk home from scouts - he had to be taken by car or he could not attend. The father is ex-state school
There are good parents of state pupils but I would say that half seem unfit to influence their children. Equally there are teachers I could not trust; kids coming out of the local secondary school were playing chicken with cars on the busy road, throwing litter into neighbouring gardens etc. When I mentioned the danger to the headmaster he pointed out that since they were off school premises it had nothing to do with him and he would not even warn them of the dangers.
Boarding school syndrome and state schoool syndrome and badparenting syndrome - different but parallel versions.

The Victory 1946 Holiday was celebrated by the whole school being given a long week end home holiday from Friday to Monday. A few boys who were unable to go home, possibly parents or Guardians not available , one never asked questions about anyone's private home circumstances.
There is an interesting piece on page 116 of the June/July 1946 Blue entitled "Holiday at Housie" by M.C, Griffiths CB and Mid B 1938-46.
The article describes how high quality food was provided, a far cry from the usual Housie fare.Visits were made to films and fetes, Swimming, archery and a party were organised. A voluntary service was held on Whit Sunday morning conducted by the Chaplain.

It is a pity that there are not more of us "oldies" around to give our reminiscences, I suppose many are not involved with the forum in any event.
There was mention in a recent newsletter about the attendance of Mr. J.W. Haynes age 99 at an Old Blues local group who was a Prep A and B Junior Housemaster 1941-45? Who can still remember him I wonder ? He lived in Wallington, Surrey I recall.

A lot of the above posts just go to show just how radical the changes have been at CH since the CMES headship era.

As I have said before, discipline was similiar to the basic training in the armed forces when I entered in 1958.

No menu in the dining hall - 'Eat it or go hungry' being the mantra.

Christian names were unknown, surnames being the requisite form of address. Corporal punishment was accepted as the norm.

Probably the best few days I ever spent at CH was at the end of one term when I was confined to the 'sicker' for a few days, (possibly measles *), before being allowed home. Dr 'Tommy' Scott became a human being at last. The food seemed better than usual, AND we were allowed a television set in the ward where there were four of five of us waiting to go home.

....AND I had the company of my favourite nurse, and I still CAN'T remember her name !!

* In hindsight, probably German Measles as I know for a fact, I suffered Rubella more than twice.

Topic 1. At an OB Day several years ago I was told by another ex-Col B who had been four years ahead of me that a contemporary of his had been sacked for being found with one of the maids. No names as, amazingly, there are people older than me who aren't dead yet.

Topic 2. A Jewish boy arrived in Col B ca. 1950. Allegedly his mother asked Matron if he could have an extra blanket - Gosh, that would have marked his card. However next day he was gone. Maybe the idea of a separate diet did for that but there was no explanation to the rest of us.

Topic 2. A Jewish boy arrived in Col B ca. 1950. Allegedly his mother asked Matron if he could have an extra blanket - Gosh, that would have marked his card. However next day he was gone. Maybe the idea of a separate diet did for that but there was no explanation to the rest of us.
I was unaware of any Col Bs being RC.

There would have been a Jewish boy, Ashton, in Col A in about 1950. I cannot remember any religionist problems within the house. However,when his three S levels were not enough to get to Uni then there were commiserations. He stayed on to get three more.
. We also had a couple of RCs who went to mass in Horsham later in that decade.

For interest, here are the teaching timings for Horsham's Academic Year 1951-52, taken from the termly calendars, so can be considered authentic. The standard lesson was 40 minutes long, but the timetable made no allowance for pupils moving between classrooms and/or breaks in the middle of double periods. When I do my calculations I will allow 5 minutes between consecutive periods.MICHAELMAS AND LENT TERMS.Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
Period 1. 0855-0935
Period 2. 0935-1015
Period 3. 1055-1135
Period 4. 1135-1215
Period 5. 1630-1710
Period 6. 1710-1750Wednesday
Period 1. 0855-0935
Period 2. 0935-1015
Period 3. 1015-1055
Period 4. 1120-1200
Period 5. 1200-1240Saturday
Period 1. 0910-0950
Period 2. 0955-1030.
Period 3. 1055-1135
Period 4. 1135-1255

SUMMER TERMMonday, Wednesday
Period 1. 0850-0930
Period 2. 0930-1010
Period 3. 1010-1050
Period 4. 1115-1155
Period 5. 1155-1235Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Period 1. 0850-0930
Period 2. 0930-1010
Period 3. 1055-1135
Period 4. 1135-1215
Period 5. 1410-1450
Period 6. 1450-1530Saturday
Period 1. 0900-0940
Period 2. 0940-1020
Period 3. 1020-1100
Period 4. 1120-1200
Period 5. 1200-1240

Busy little bees, weren’t we?
David

Last edited by Foureyes on Sun Jun 11, 2017 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

In his autobiography, Bryan Magee (CH late 40s) relates how as a grecian he spent a term at a French boarding school. He totted up the time they spent on academic activities, and found it came to twice as much as at CH. But they had as good as no sport, and the senior boys were not unpaid surveillants.

Michael,
In answer to your comment, I could have added all sorts of things, such as breaks, PT, etc, etc, but stuck simply to the classroom times, as I did not want to clutter up the place too much.

What would be helpful would be if you (or any one else) could recall any of the half-day holidays. Some must have been standard, year on year, but others seem to have been rather ad hoc. Apparently there was one for Princess Margaret's wedding (which I find surprising) and I certainly recall Montgomery giving one. There was also one for the 'Varsity Match,' which I assume to have been a game of rugger between Oxford and Cambridge.

David

PS Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean/imply by 'unpaid surveillants'?